‘It’s not about the books’: Boundary County library director resigns over intimidation and ‘political atmosphere of extremism’

James Hanlon for the Spokesman-Review:

In Boundary County, a local group is attempting to recall four of the five library board members, including Colson, after the board approved an updated Collection Development and Maintenance Policy. The new policy says, “Selection of materials will not be affected by any such potential disapproval, and the Boundary County Library will not place materials on ‘closed shelves’ or label items to protect the public from their content.”

And the kicker:

“Nothing in my background could have prepared me for the political atmosphere of extremism, militant Christian fundamentalism, intimidation tactics, and threatening behavior currently being employed in the community,” Glidden wrote in her announcement posted by the library.

Boundary County is only a few hours from where I grew up, and not even an hour from where my parents lived while I attended community college. Hell, I even briefly had an video editing job in Bonner’s Ferry, the county seat. Beautiful area, terrible people.

Conservatives sue school for refusing to out transgender students

Daniel Villarreal for LGBTQ Nation:

“Some of Parent B’s daughter’s special-needs classes are held in a classroom that also functions as the meeting location for the LGBT student club,” the lawsuit says. “The teacher in that classroom is the faculty advisor for the club. Thus, the classroom walls contain several posters with information about various gender identities, gender ‘social transitions,’ and ‘referred pronouns.’ Parent B’s daughter is extremely impressionable and often follows the lead of other students.”

Yes, sitting in a room with LGBTQ-supporting posters will make your kid gay in the same way sitting in a library will make you smarter through osmosis.

Upset over LGBTQ books, a Michigan town defunds its library in tax vote

Knowledge is the enemy.

And Undeniably So

People who identify as LGBTQIA+ didn’t choose to be that way. The internet is full of stories from queer and transgendered individuals where they detail their personal struggles with identity. You can’t deny who you are, because that is not a choice.

Unlike your sexual orientation or gender identity, religion is a choice. You may have been born into a faith, but you choose to stay. If you are an independent adult, there is nothing requiring you to attend church on Sunday, or go to the synagogue on Saturday, or to fast during Ramadan. You don’t have to practice the religious beliefs of your parents. You choose to.

You also choose how you treat those around you. If you deny someone medical service – or a cake! – because of your ‘religious beliefs’, you are choosing to be a horrible human being.

The Trump administration revoking rules that prohibited hospitals, insurance companies, and medical practitioners from discriminating against individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ isn’t protecting religious freedom. And calling the decision cruel is inadequate.

It’s evil.